AnimCubeJS - an animated web cube

[bcube]

It appears that the comments show up on the top-left of the animation window after the algorithm has finished being executed.

You can show and hide text comments anywhere you like in the move sequence. Example

And am I wrong in that it doesn't support contiguous inner layer block turns of any kind?

For a 4x4x4, you can do m. Example
If there is enough interest, we might think about supporting other inner layer block turns in the future. You could also use the s modifier (followed by a cube rotation). Example

 

[Christopher Mowla]

You can show and hide text comments anywhere you like in the move sequence. Example

Oh, so put the comment before the sequence. Got it!

If there is enough interest, we might think about supporting other inner layer block turns in the future.

Well, if people want to look to this applet as an authority on SiGN (learn from it), then those types of moves should be implemented sooner or later.

BTW, I just made this post on Reddit which shows off this applet. (You of all people knows exactly what it means!)

 

[bcube]

Well, if people want to look to this applet as an authority on SiGN (learn from it), then those types of moves should be implemented sooner or later.

That´s why the documentation currently says "The supported notation is loosely based on the Simple General Notation".

 

[bcube]

Is there an option for old WCA notation, where lowercase letters = inner slices?

Just to be clear, are you requesting displaing lowercase letters for inner slices (but actually declaring uppercase letters)? Or are you requesting displaing lowercase letters and actually declaring lowercase letters for inner slices?

 

[Christopher Mowla]

Just to be clear, are you requesting displaing lowercase letters for inner slices (but actually declaring uppercase letters)? Or are you requesting displaing lowercase letters and actually declaring lowercase letters for inner slices?

Both. It should function the same way Twizzle does. Input the algorithm in SiGN notation, display the alg being executed in SiGN notation.

(But of course, do this with Old WCA notation instead.)

I have had to display the alg in WCA on the wiki and it be executed in SiGN because I had no choice to do both. (Is that where you're confused about what I want?)

 

[bcube]

OK, so you want the second option (as expected). Yesterday I actually came up with the first option only (you would declare move=2U, the simulator would simulate and display u in the old WCA notation). But you want to declare move=u, and simulate & display u in the old WCA notation. Got it.

It has nothing to do with your experiments

 

[bcube]

Furthermore, Twizzle counts moves the same way that I do. (The half turn, quarter turn, and slice turn metrics of animcubejs do not.)

In my tests, I have been obtaining the same move count in SiGN for Twizzle and ACJS (for their common moves) in e and s metrics.

3x3x3: x x2 R R2 M M2 r r2 - 8e 12q 8h 6s for both simulators
4x4x4: x x2 R R2 2R 2R2 r r2 m m2 - ACJS: 10e 18q 12h 8s, Twizzle: 10e 12 8s
5x5x5: x x2 R R2 2R 2R2 M M2 r r2 - ACJS: 10e 18q 12h 8s, Twizzle: 10e 12 8s
6x6x6: x x2 R R2 2R 2R2 3R 3R2 r r2 3r 3r2 - ACJS: 12e 21q 14h 10s, Twizzle: 12e 15 10s
7x7x7: x x2 R R2 2R 2R2 3R 3R2 M M2 r r2 3r 3r2 - ACJS: 14e 27q 18h 12s, Twizzle: 14e 18 12s

Haven´t figured out yet how the middle move count for Twizzle is calculated and why 1 metric is missing.

 

[Christopher Mowla]

Haven´t figured out yet how the middle move count for Twizzle is calculated and why 1 metric is missing.

Well, although I mentioned this earlier, it's not that important. I have already manually counted the moves of all of the algorithms. So they already can see the move count from the wiki page before seeing the animation.

I am sure you all have better things to do with your time!

 

[That_slow_guy]

Really cool and easy

 

[bcube]

Good news, everyone! AnimCubeJS has been updated.

Multiple lines of text comments are now supported.

Did you know users have requested:

• Florian mod?
• Markers?
• Animated GIF-like feature?
• Facelet editor?

Check out the other examples in the Enhancement section of the AnimCubeJS documentation.

Edit: thanks to the moderation team for an AnimCubeJS update here at the speedsolving.com forum.

 

[Gil.zussman]

But I haven't done it because I have heard rumors that that site has been taken down (on purpose... out of retaliation) at least once in the past.

I love the cubing community <3

 

[Christopher Mowla]

I love the cubing community <3

Hi Gil.

The other main "issue" is that Lucas' simulator uses lowercase letters for M, E, S turns, where as yours uses uppercase.

• In my video about SiGN notation, I too mentioned that uppercase represents those turns, as Michael Gottlieb (who invented SiGN notation independently of Lucas Garron) told me that it was so before I made that video.
• Lucas originally had uppercase to represent M, E, S turns, but then he later changed them to lowercase, and that was a very annoying change/adjustment for me to make to the 4x4x4 parity algorithms speedsolving wiki page, because there are a lot of algorithms with at least one M, E, or S move. If I change to your simulator, I would have to manually change the case of such moves in all algorithms which have them.

That's not a big deal if I have to just change them once. But if for any reason (good or bad), cube.db goes offline, then I would have to change the case back and revert back to alpha.twizzle.

Yes, I have "put up" with the headache for Lucas, but after a while, one's tolerance for this kind of thing begins to dwindle.

All I would have to do to make the wiki page go to cube.db instead of alpha.twizzle (besides changing the case of those moves) is to change the line:

[[Image:SS_Cube_Logo_HD_Tiny.png|link=https://alpha.twizzle.net/edit/?puzzle=4x4x4&setup-anchor=end&alg={{urlencode:{{{sign}}}|PATH}}]]

to

[[Image:SS_Cube_Logo_HD_Tiny.png|link=https://cubedb.net/?puzzle=4x4&alg={{urlencode:{{{sign}}}|PATH}}&type=alg]]

in Template:Alg6.

In short, I'm not lazy. I have basically done the work to make the change in cube simulators on the 4x4x4 parity algorithms speedsolving wiki page. But if I were to do it, I would have to have good reason to believe that it won't come to bite me later on. (Or the page being wrecked at a time when I'm currently not active in the cubing community.)

(It's one thing for a portion of links to be wrecked due to a change in a part of the notation, but it's quite another for the server to be completely down.)

If those were just rumors (not the truth), just let me know, and I will believe you. But if not, even if you did that for a good reason (like... it's your stuff!), that won't fix the links that are broken as a result . . . should that happen again.

P.S.

And I hope you saw from the post of mine that you quoted, I do very much like the look of your simulator vs Lucas'. Deep respect for what you have done.

 

[Gil.zussman]

That's not a big deal if I have to just change them once. But if for any reason (good or bad), cube.db goes offline, then I would have to change the case back and revert back to alpha.twizzle.

Yes, I have "put up" with the headache for Lucas, but after a while, one's tolerance for this kind of thing begins to dwindle.

I don't know what went between you and Lucas, I can tell you about my personal experience with him, which is super cordial, respectful, supportive - especially from a person who has (competing? even sometimes conflicting?) similar services who doesn't know me nor does he had any interest in supporting me personally nor professionally. He was even kind enough to collaborate with me more than once whether it's a video ( podcast about scrambles ) or even donating significant parts of code.

tl;dr - from personal experience, Lucas is an amazing person and a programer whom i look up to and respect.


this is not without any disagreements. Infact, i enjoy discussing such - as it makes us better programmers and better evolve the products we create (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su5MjUdSgZs).
one such subject is/are conflicting and non formal notations. where Twizzle/alg.cubing.net major design decision is to pay close attention to WCA formal notation, where in CubeDB.net it is anything but... it supports Karnotation for SQ1, RubiksWeb for Skewb and 7 simul notation for Clock.

In short, I'm not lazy. I have basically done the work to make the change in cube simulators on the 4x4x4 parity algorithms speedsolving wiki page. But if I were to do it, I would have to have good reason to believe that it won't come to bite me later on. (Or the page being wrecked at a time when I'm currently not active in the cubing community.)

Judging from what i've seen, you're one of the most prolific members of this community and "lazy" will be a huge disrespect (and said in utter disregard) to your hard, earned, work.

Yes, I have "put up" with the headache for Lucas, but after a while, one's tolerance for this kind of thing begins to dwindle.

All I would have to do to make the wiki page go to cube.db instead of alpha.twizzle (besides changing the case of those moves) is to change the line:

(It's one thing for a portion of links to be wrecked due to a change in a part of the notation, but it's quite another for the server to be completely down.)

If those were just rumors (not the truth), just let me know, and I will believe you. But if not, even if you did that for a good reason (like... it's your stuff!), that won't fix the links that are broken as a result . . . should that happen again.

well, there's https://algdb.net/ , which has recently went down. https://algdb.net/ is a major contributer to the community, supported by a big company in the cubing industry - unlike a small independent developer such as myself. And as you see - it is down for it's own reason and you have nothing but to respect their reasons for doing so. or not.

Last time that i had to take down my services, it was for recieving a series of death threats from a prominent NR holder of it's country DURING worlds 2023 from their own account while attending the competition, along with the defacement of my personal record page in the WCA staging page replacing my picture antisimitic caricature. much to my dismay - no real action was taken from the WCA (WDC,WEC and even the Board) nor was even a warning issue was taken to that person.

I was advised by my wife and the law enforcement agency in my country, having no support from the WCA to take a step back, and i did.

(It's one thing for a portion of links to be wrecked due to a change in a part of the notation, but it's quite another for the server to be completely down.)

If those were just rumors (not the truth), just let me know, and I will believe you. But if not, even if you did that for a good reason (like... it's your stuff!), that won't fix the links that are broken as a result . . . should that happen again.

how about directly contacting me and/or Lucas to reach some kind of arrangment that will serve us all, in contrast to posting your frustrations or your hypothesis here?

instead of believing some some of the super toxic in the community (which names i don't want to mention here as they have explicitly declared their motive is to literally harass me and gain credit for doing so) - you could just contact me directly and i would be happy to work out a satisfactory solution(s) that will fit your needs and the community needs.

wouldn't it be a more productive and respectful conduct, instead of judging someone's work and ethics without contacting them?

I'd be happy to help you out. all you have to do is reach out.

 

[bcube]

So if I go from a URL of this length:

https://alpha.twizzle.net/edit/?puzzle=4x4x4&setup-anchor=end&alg=

To one of this length (this is the desired parameters I chose for a normal 4x4x4 cube):

https://animcubejs.cubing.net/sources/codes/enhancement/parameters/cube4.html?butbgcolor=808080&buttonbar=1&hint=5&hintborder=1&sign=1&metric=2&colorscheme=wy2301&move=

That's a significant amount of additional code (bytes) that will need to be loaded in. And if I surpass the allowed loading capacity, then "algorithm bars" towards the end of the page will start to not load.

Not sure if still relevant, but I just want to mention you can solve this problem by modifing the code so that your desired values for parameters would be set as default, meaning the URL could be shortened to something like https://cm.cubing.net/?move= (assuming Lucas would be willing to provide subdomain for you).

As an alternative not requiring code modification, you could also use the config parameter, similarly to how speedsolving.com forum uses it. Then the URL could be something like https://cm.cubing.net/?config=a.txt&move=

 

[bcube]

As an alternative not requiring code modification, you could also use the config parameter, similarly to how speedsolving.com forum uses it. Then the URL could be something like https://cm.cubing.net/?config=a.txt&move=

I spoke too soon. In my tests with this site, I managed to get both short URL (an equivalent would be https://cm.cubing.net/?move=) and the config parameter being used by changing this line:

AnimCube4('id=cube&' + window.location.search.replace('?',''));
to
AnimCube4('id=cube&config=a.txt&' + window.location.search.replace('?',''));

The wiki content creators/editors could then choose whether they want to stick with preconfigured settings by Christopher (meaning they would only need to set the move parameter to their desired value), or whether they want to use their own settings set in the URL. This is basically the way how the simulator is working here on the speedsolving.com forum - there are preconfigured settings set by the moderation team but forum members can override them in their posts if they want to do so.

 

[Christopher Mowla]

window.location.search.replace('?','')

Are you suggesting that a search-replace function be implemented in speedsolving wiki? For example, with code lines like the following (which are a part of the template pages):

[[Image:SS_Cube_Logo_HD_Tiny.png|link=https://cubedb.net/?puzzle=4x4&alg={{urlencode:{{{sign}}}|PATH}}&type=alg]]

You can even add IF statements (I have seen Lucas Garron IF statements before), etc.; but, even if there was a search-replace command that can be put in such lines of code (I checked in the past with no luck), that still takes up bytes that the page loads in.
_____________________________________
Also, I think it's needed for the moves (in Old WCA notation) from the wiki to correspond to the moves animated at whatever 3rd party site (online cube simulator / algorithm executer).

That is, even though a search-replace could allow me to remove all SiGN translations of the algorithms on the wikipage (I guess that's what your proposal is about?), it would still not fix the issue that there are 2 different notations being used. (One to display the algorithm on the wikipage, one to animate the alg on the 3rd party site.)

That's the main issue now (just using one notation to both display and animate the algs), as I don't see much new content (algorithms) being added to that page, nor have I had to "turn someone down" from dumping a huge alg set on the page (due to a limit in space).

(I only mentioned "space", because it's another advantage to using just one notation for each alg instead of 2, but that's not the biggest problem the page has.)

 

[bcube]

Are you suggesting that a search-replace function be implemented in speedsolving wiki?

No. I thought the URL length leading to whichever animation tool from a wiki page was one of the issues for your use case, so I was addressing it for the AnimCubeJS simulator.

 

[Christopher Mowla]

The length of the url is a "part" of the issue, yes, as it's part of the template code.

 

[isaacvr]

Hello, nice work. I'm also a developer and if you don't mind, I can share with you some advice or maybe to make a PR to your repo. I have an app called CubeDB that has a simulator on it, and it looks pretty cool because a simple but powerfull feature: rounded corners. The better approach I got back when I was making it, was the use of Bezier curves, since it provides a general solution to the problem. It doesn't matter if your polygon is a square, triangle, pentagon or whatever, it will make a rounded corner anyway.

 

[Christopher Mowla]

I have an app called CubeDB

There's an existing app with the same name. (Kindly change the name to something else to prevent confusion!)